At this rate India might need Scooby!

New Delhi: As the Indian cricket team took off to a bad start against the visiting Australians, hope for a nation full of hysterical cricket lovers comes from an unexpected quarter.Scooby-Doo, Tom, Johnny Bravo and Jerry wielding the bat may boost thesagging morale of cricket in the country. At Toon Cricket 2001 on March 6, the famous cartoon characters will take on professional cricketers of the likes of Vinod Kambli in an animated ambience, perhaps teaching them a trick or two. The event is sponsored by Cartoon Network and will be staged at the capital's Jawaharlal Nehru stadium."Cartoon characters will work magic on the cricket field. And children who can't choose between cricket and cartoons are sure to have a field day," said Anushman Misra, managing director of Turner International India. "We aim to add spice to cricket."The Snackers with Scooby-Doo as captain will take on The Inventors led by boy genius Dexter (from Dexter's Laboratory). Interspersed in the two teams of eight players each will be cartoon characters Dee Dee, Fred Flintstone and Dino.And this time around, Scooby-Doo has decided to take no chances because last year, at the Toon Cricket 2000, Dexter's team had defeated Scooby-Doo's team by 56 runs."What promises to be really exciting is the presence of cricketing sensation Kambli and Dewang Patel, the Indipop star known for his spoofs on popular western songs. Channel V anchor Nikhil Chinnappa will be the master of ceremonies," said Hema Govindan, vice-president, marketing, Turner Entertainment Networks.A day before the event, a Toon mobile - a tableau depicting cartooncricketers at net practice - will do the rounds of the city, distributing tickets and providing a sneak preview of what can be expected on the big day."Toon Network's strategy is to widen its appeal by fusing the animated world with that of its viewers. It aims to take characters out of television and closer to their fans," she said.India Abroad News Service